The Not-So-New Kid in Town
by TheOutlawHadMercy
Summary: [SEASON 3 ENDING SPOILERS] [a little OOC] Jenny returns to VGHS after her career with the Panthers ends abruptly. She reunites with Brian-but what all has changed in the past year?
1. The Return

**A/N: **I own nothing. **TRIGGER WARNING. **Contains mentions of stalking and rape.

* * *

It's hard to believe a year has passed, I think to myself as I watch the scenery through the cab window. Everything about the town we drive through looks exactly the same as it did the last day I spent at VGHS. The memory pulls at my heart as the cab slides to a stop at the curb, the sudden lack of movement disorientating.

"We're here, ma'am." The cab driver half turns in his seat, waiting for my move. I let myself gaze out the window a few more moments before I sigh and fish the cash from my pocket.

"Thanks," I throw over my shoulder as I hoist my solitary bag up and start walking towards the front doors. The outside of the building looks remarkably unchanged, statue, flagpole and random tables unmoved like the scene had been frozen for the past three hundred and some odd days since I last stepped foot on campus. In fact, it seems a little dead, seeing as I'm the only soul within eyesight. I glance at my phone and surmise that it's the middle of a class period. Naturally, all the students would be there.

I decide to head to Calhoun's office first as it's only the logical thing to do—and exactly step one of what I wrote down on my official 'Jenny's Game Plan' notepad on the flight over. I wasn't trusting myself to do this right by just winging it and felt like a game plan was most definitely in order. So, trusting my game plan, I make my way through the hallways, thankfully avoiding most everyone but a few stragglers who don't seem to notice me until they've come within a few inches of almost bowling me over. Freshmen, I contemplate. I can tell it's a sign of changes when my only response is a courteous smile and nod as opposed to the grievous tongue lashing I would have given them only a year ago.

A year, I think again. Has it really only been a year?

* * *

Calhoun's office, not surprisingly, looks exactly the same as it did before, with the only exception being the addition of a few new photographs. I smile as I recognize the one of our 32 player team from the infamous Napalm Bowl. The glowing looks on everyone's faces tugs at my throat as every little detail from that day comes rushing back.

I'm in the middle of regaining my composure when I hear Calhoun come through the door.

"Just what the hell are you doing in my office, student?" He says as he walks backward through the door, his hands full with his lunch tray and what looks like the world's largest coffee cup.

"Um…hi." I stand up, not sure of what else to do. Calhoun turns and struggles to keep from dropping his cargo when he makes eye contact.

"Matrix! What are you doing here?" He sets his tray and coffee down and straightens his tie. I raise an eyebrow, unsure of this new Calhoun personality I seem to be confronting. He clears his throat and looks back out the office door as if he's searching for someone.

"Are you the advance party?" He asks, his eyes still looking out the glass window.

"Uh, I'm not sure what you mean," I say, following his eyes to the window. He immediately looks back at me.

"You know, for the team." I guess my blank expression serves as his answer because he becomes exasperated. "Scouts! Did you come here with scouts? Investors, coaches, any of the above?"

"Oh. Uh, no. It's just me." I say awkwardly, sitting back down.

He sighs, then follows suite. "So then I ask again—what are you doing here, Matrix?"

"Well…I was kind of hoping to enroll again."

* * *

After spending an hour in Calhoun's office debating the finer points of why I wasn't in Paris anymore, I made my way back down the hall towards the dorm rooms and my not-so-new living quarters. Apparently the student who was supposed to be residing in my old room had been expelled already as he made the mistake of picking a fight against the best FPS player VGHS had on the roster. I have to say, I didn't feel bad for the kid, seeing as it got me my old room back.

I was trying to get the door open when I heard a scream from the end of the hall. Immediately looking in that direction, I was confronted by what looked to be a flying ball of red fuzz, until I realized it was just Ki barreling towards me like a madwoman. I didn't have any time to react before she collided with me head on.

"Jenny!" She screamed again, this time her voice assaulting my eardrums from close quarters and rendering them inoperable. I blinked from my spot on the ground and sat up, straightening my shirt.

"Ki." I said laughing, taking her offered hand and standing up. "That was quite the welcome."

"Well, obviously," she says, fixing her hair and tucking her tablet against her chest. Her eyes take in my duffel bag, and the partially opened dorm room between us before she looks back at me, her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah…I'm kind of a student again?" I say quizzically and watch as her eyebrows soar higher. I can tell she's about to begin her next vocal assault when I hold up a hand in protest and point at the dorm room. "Can we talk in here?"

I drop my bag on the bed and collapse on the couch, watching as Ki closes the door behind her and sits next to me. She watches me for a few moments before talking.

"You're enrolled here again?"

"Yeah," I sigh, looking at my feet. The silence stretches for a moment before Ki starts in again.

"What happened to the Panthers?"

"It's a long story," I sigh again, this time meeting her eyes. "I had a late flight and haven't slept in a while, so I think I'm just going to crash for the night." She nods and makes her way to the door. She's almost gone before I cave to the voices in my head.

"Wait, Ki." I stand up and follow her to the door. She turns at the doorway and eyes me expectantly. I have this feeling she already knows what I'm going to ask.

"Where's Brian?" I ask, trying to will my voice not to break or stumble through two measly words.

She smiles and waits before she answers, almost like she's aware of how important her answer is. What am I kidding, she obviously knows.

"He's with Ted right now, questing. They haven't stopped playing Deathstalker 3 since it came out last week." She tilts her head and continues watching me. Wavering under the stare, I shuffle in the doorway before looking back at her.

"Do me a favor?" She nods. "Don't tell Brian I'm here yet. I want to go clean up and surprise him."

Her eyes light up. "Oh, I think I can do that."

* * *

I've been here less than two hours and I've already made a mess on the floor of my room. I look at myself in the mirror again, twirling to examine my outfit for the fiftieth time when I finally decide I've given up. This will have to do, I think to myself. I walk out the door and down the halls before I change my mind, doing my best to do absolutely no thinking as I make my way to Brian and Ted's room. Ki had texted me a few minutes ago to let me know that she'd convinced Ted to go out for pizza—without Brian, she'd emphasized—so I could have some time for just the two of us.

I'm at his door before I can give much thought to what my first words to him will be. I steel myself for a moment, staring at his name tag above the whiteboard which someone had drawn an elaborate dragon breathing fire on. "Questing!" it said boldly. I tentatively knocked on the door, the quiet sound of my rapping doing terrible things to the heartbeat in my ears.

I let a few moments pass before I convince myself to knock again, this time louder and with more force.

"Coming!" I hear Brian say from inside, his voice surprising me for no reason at all. The door opens and there he is, his face a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"Hey Brian," I say, proud of myself for not getting those two words wrong. He looks at me a long while, then abruptly shuts the door in my face.

I'm halfway between collapsing in a ball of tears and knocking his door down when he opens it again, his eyes wide and eyebrows raised. I can see the redness in his cheeks and tell he's struggling to stay composed. I'm still trying to figure out what all of that means when he picks me up in a bear hug and twirls me out into the hallway, his laughter joyous and contagious as we spin round and round.

I giggle with him as the world spins, then finally stops as he lets me down gently in front of him. I lean forward and wrap my arms around his shoulders. I feel his hands slide onto my lower back and grip my shirt tightly, his face buried in my neck as he mumbles a few words I can't catch.

"Say again?" I say, still breathless and giddy from all the twirling. I pull his face up to look at him. He smiles sadly, his eyes wet and glistening.

"I said, please don't wake me up." His voice is thick with emotion as he looks me deeply in the eyes. I choke back a sob and then press my face into his chest, burying myself there before answering.

"I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

_Brian:_

Jenny decided we should go to her room on the chance that Ted and Ki would probably be finishing their pizza date soon. I definitely wasn't complaining; some alone time sounded perfect. We walked to her dorm in silence, the giddiness from before waning away. I wasn't sure if it was just me second guessing myself or if maybe I really had jumped the gun, but I was starting to regret acting like a kid in a candy shop earlier. It's been a year, I tell myself repeatedly on the walk over. There's no telling what's changed since we last saw each other.

Once we're in her room, Jenny crashes on her couch, leaning back against the armrest with her legs stretched down the length of the couch. I hesitate for a moment, not wanting to give her the wrong impression by distancing myself, but not wanting to overstep either. I settle for sitting at the end of her feet, space between us but not too far. I tuck a leg under me and angle myself to face her.

When my eyes meet hers, she's staring me down. I try to gulp down some of my anxiety, but her gaze is piercing and I'm afraid I'm going to wither away if I don't break the silence.

"So, uh…" I start weakly, scratching the back of my neck. I clear my throat and restart. "Did you want to talk about anything?" She nods, her eyes not leaving my face. I laugh nervously, not being reassured by her silence.

"What, uh—what did you want to talk about?"

Her eyes leave mine and settle on the door across from us. A few beats pass and then she sighs. I notice she's wringing her hands in her lap. I swallow nervously again.

"You know how we kind of stopped talking a few months ago?" She asks, her voice faint and her eyes never leaving her hands. I start to nod, then realize she isn't looking at me.

"Yeah." I know in my gut where this is headed but I refuse to acknowledge it until she says it out loud. She waits a few more moments, then speaks again.

"I dated someone in Paris. Just one. I, uh—I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did." She gulps, her turn to be nervous at the silence. I just watch her, waiting for the rest to come. "It didn't last long—a month, tops. We didn't end on a good note, either." She glances up at me, but I guess she can't decipher my expression any more than I can decipher the whirlwind of thoughts that pass through my brain. "Actually," she starts again, "there was some…violence. That's part of the reason I'm here."

I'm unconsciously reaching for her before I catch myself, just as she notices as well. She smiles sadly and nudges me with her foot. I squeeze it reassuringly, trying to smile despite the thunderous noise in my ears. Just as I think I'm about to explode, the crescendo reaches its apex and shatters all around me.

"I dated someone, too."

She's silent for too many heartbeats before she nods. I notice my hand is still on her foot and I squeeze it again, not sure what else to do. "It was longer than a month, but not much…I guess I didn't break away clean, either." When I look up from her foot, she's studying me. I'm focus on rubbing her foot now, the contact keeping me going. "I really tried to move on but I never did, I guess. She broke up with me when she finally realized I was a lost cause." I sigh, waiting for what came next.

"When was this?" She asks.

"Last week, actually." I glance up at her and can tell she's a little surprised. I smile thinly. "What about you?"

"We broke up two months ago, but…" She trails off, looking back at her hands. I squeeze her foot again to get her attention, reassure her that I won't judge her no matter what she says next. Her eyes slowly trail up to mine and when they do I realize they're full of tears, just waiting to burst.

"Jenny…"

"He stalked me. I tried to get away from him for weeks, but he kept finding me, showing up wherever I went. I changed my phone number twice, moved from my apartment to a friend's, then into a completely new apartment on the other side of town." Her voice is picking up in speed and I can feel a crushing weight bearing down on me from somewhere, like an impending sense of doom I couldn't name. I struggled to get ahead of it before it crushed me, but I had no idea where it was coming from or what it meant. "We had a late practice one night, and when I came home he was in my living room, lighting candles, like it was the most normal thing in the world." I realize I'm gripping her foot tightly and clenching my jaw, like I'm preparing for impact.

"He raped me, Brian." Her voice is faint and quiet, as if it's thousands of miles away with a dark and stormy ocean between us. Almost like we're on opposite continents.

* * *

The tidal wave hits me with full force and I feel my breath get knocked out of me. I can feel myself reeling, struggling to stay upright against the onslaught of emotion, the look on Jenny's face breaking my heart. As much as I struggle to grasp everything she's just said, I'm aware that every moment I go in silence, without response, is a moment she's already experienced alone. The pain I'm feeling cannot compare to what she's already gone through.

I will myself to move, and quickly, trying to show to her with action that she's not alone. I let go of her foot and reach out my hand to her, which she takes in hers without a moment's hesitation. Leaning forward, I brush my lips across her knuckles, kneading her hand between my forefinger and thumb, not sure what I'm doing but just happy I'm doing something. She lets out the breath that she's been holding and reaches out for me with both arms. I pull her in as she curls into a ball against my chest.

"You're safe now," I murmur into her hair, my arms tightening around her like I can hold back everything the world wants to throw at her. I feel the front of my shirt grow moist as she cries, her fists balling up the front of my shirt. I squeeze her tighter, determined that if I can just hold her closer then I can make all the pain go away.

I don't know how long we sit there, her sobs racking her body as I silently struggle with emotions of my own. The shock gives way to sadness, to anger, and then back to the beginning as I hold her tightly against my chest. Eventually, I feel her hands loosen on my shirt and I loosen my arms around her in response. She tilts her head up to see me, her face streaked with tears, but her eyes clear and sharp. I feel her fingers slide across my cheeks as she takes my face in her hands, my own tears there surprising me.

"Why are you crying?" She asks, her voice still thick with emotion. I shake my head gently, the words not coming out. She watches me closely, but I can't hold her gaze, so I close my eyes.

"I couldn't protect you," I say, the words falling before they register in my brain. I choke back more tears of my own.

"Oh, Brian," she breathes, laying her head against my shoulder. I hold her against me and let myself succumb to the waves.

* * *

_Jenny:_

The klaxon of an alarm blares in the distance, slowly growing louder until it's the only thing I can hear. I wake with a start, my head jerking up and my hands fumbling around me for whatever is making all that noise. I realize that Brian and I must have fallen asleep on my couch, and from looking out the window I can tell its morning, but what hour I'm not so sure. The alarm seems to be coming from Brian's pocket, so I gently shake him awake. He grumbles a bit, but doesn't move from his position. I grab his shoulder again and shake harder.

"Brian, you need to wake up." Another shake and his eyelids slide open. He watches me through hazy eyes for a moment until it seems to dawn on him where he is.

"Oh shit!" He jumps up from the couch and pulls his blaring phone from his pocket. He silences the alarm quickly and runs for the door, seeming to forget that I'm still here. He stops abruptly at the door and does an about face.

"I've got to go TA for Ace in a few minutes, and I was late for the last class, so he'll kill me if I'm late again." He starts to turn again, then changes his mind. He walks back and crouches in front of me, taking my hands in his. "I'll be back in about an hour. You want to go have breakfast with me then?" He asks, his smile contagious.

I nod, and he kisses my hands before standing. Throwing a smile and a wave my way, he opens the door and closes it behind him. I stare at the closed door for a few seconds before deciding to get up and unpack, instead of think about the confession I made last night.

It doesn't take long to unpack my single bag, which was mostly just clothes and a few personal effects, including the only framed picture of Brian and me. I set that carefully on my desk, then start hanging and putting away my clothes. I decide I need to make a store run soon to get all the stuff I'm missing.

I'm writing my shopping list when I hear a knock at my door. I open it, not entirely surprised to see Ki bright and cheery.

"Good morning, Ms. Matrix," she says regally, then steps around me into my room. I shake my head at her antics, then close the door. I can tell she's trying to find the most tactful way to ask how my night went without sounding nosy, but her silence is evidence she hasn't found one yet.

"It went well, Ki," I say laughing, her relieved expression confirming what I had assumed. "We actually fell asleep on the couch talking."

She nods enthusiastically. "That's great, Jenny. Did he tell you about—" she starts, then stops abruptly.

"Yeah, he told me he had a breakup last week, but he didn't say who she was or give many details." I sit back down at my desk and relax in my chair. She sits on the couch across from me.

"Well, I'm sure he will, Jenny. I don't think he'd keep it secret from you. He might just need some time," she slowly, unconsciously defending Brian and at the same time trying to play mediator. I laugh and shake my head.

"I'm not worried about it, Ki. I'm sure he would have told me last night but…well, we kind of talked about me a lot." I look back at my list, not quite ready to have that discussion again this soon. Ki seems to read this without me saying so, and looks at the list in front of me.

"Oh, do you need to go shopping?" She asks excitedly.

"Yeah. I didn't bother bringing a lot of stuff with me on the plane. I just figured I'd get it when I got here."

"Well, we can go shopping this afternoon if you want. I think Ted is busy with the drift team tonight, anyway."

"Sounds like a plan," I say.

"Good!" Ki jumps up and walks over to me, awkwardly leaning over to give me a hug. When she pulls back, she's smiling from ear to ear. "I'm so glad you're back, Jenny. Brian really needs you right now."

I nod and walk her to the door. "I'm glad to be back, Ki."

After she's gone, her words echo in my mind. Brian needs me, I think to myself. Aren't we a pair.

* * *

_Brian:_

I was about to walk back to Jenny's room when I remembered I still hadn't changed out of the clothes I wore last night. I take a cautionary sniff of myself, then change direction. God, I smell awful.

Once I've changed clothes, thrown on some deodorant and given my teeth a thorough cleaning, I head back to Jenny's. Not surprisingly, she's as gorgeous as ever when she opens the door. Jeans that hug her in all the right places, her shirt showing off her tan, lean arms, golden hair framing her face. I notice she's looking at me funny and realize I missed what she said.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I didn't hear you." I feel my cheeks get warm, embarrassed to be caught staring, but not nearly as mortified as I would have been back when we first met. She joins me in the hallway and takes my hand.

"I said, what do you want to do for breakfast?" She shakes her head and laughs. "You're such a weirdo."

"I can't help it, a beautiful woman opened the door." It's her turn to blush.

We head to the cafeteria and sit down with some of the FPS team. A few of the newer team members stare at her, but whether it's out of fear, awe or respect, I'm not entirely sure. Either way, I feel the urge to wrap my arm around her or hold her hand, just to show them the way things stand—but when I get to thinking about it, I'm not so sure I know how they stand, either.

I'm still debating on whether I'm being moronic or not when Jenny puts her hand over mine and silences my thoughts. I smile at her and she smiles back. Problem solved.

* * *

_Jenny:_

After breakfast, Brian and I made our way to the FPS classroom, which was empty. We both sat down at a station and booted up Field of Fire. We joined a pub game for fun and enjoyed messing around with some randoms, a few of which recognized our in game names and pestered us.

A few games later, we took a break. I kicked my feet up on the desk and watched Brian as he re-examined his weapon loadout. He's so cute when he's focused, I decided, watching him squint in concentration, his teeth biting the edge of his lip. After a while, he noticed my staring and blushed. I couldn't help but laugh.

"You know, laughing at a guy like that doesn't do much for his self-esteem," he said quietly, still tinkering with his character. I sighed and then nudged him with my foot. He leveled his gaze at me again. "What?"

"I want to talk about us," I said simply, not trusting myself with anything more complicated.

"So, let's talk." He closed out of Field of Fire and turned his chair in my direction.

"What are we?" I asked. The question felt stupid, but I needed to know.

"I'm not sure." He was watching me closely and it was making me nervous. I decided to press on.

"Well, I wanted to pick up where we left off…if that's okay." I add, not sure why I'm second guessing everything all of a sudden. Brian looks away and doesn't say anything for a while.

"I don't think we can do that, Jenny." His voice is soft, but his words are loud. For not the first time since I came back to VGHS, I'm confused. I'm about to ask him what the hell he means when he breaks into a shit eating grin from ear to ear. "We're going to have to redo that first date of ours. I recall our last one being ruined by your mom."

I wait a few moments before I punch him.

"Hey! I need that arm, you know."

Our first date ends up being to Endless Food and Fun, where we shove our faces full of pizza and play DXM for way too long until our thighs are tired. Brian drives us back to campus in the car he bought over the summer. It's old, kind of rusty, and the backseat has cigarette burns, but it runs, doesn't smell funny and has a radio that works. We jam out to music on our way back, and I'm mildly impressed by Brian's singing. He catches my eye when _Crazy Girl _by the Eli Young Band comes over the radio, then surprises me by singing along.

_Wouldn't last a single day_

_I'd probably just fade away_

_Without you, I'd lose my mind_

_Before you every came along_

_I was living life all wrong_

_Smartest thing I ever did was make you all mine_

_Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you?_

_I wouldn't dream of going nowhere_

_Silly woman, come here and let me hold you_

_Have I told you lately_

_I love you like crazy, girl_

We've pulled into the campus parking lot, but neither one of us makes a move to get out. He's watching me closely, the song still playing its final chorus in the background. My head feels light and my body feels warm, and I know I've got the dumbest smile on my face, but I can't take my eyes off his. When the song ends, he turns off the car and the radio with it. We sit there for a moment more before I break the silence.

"I love you, Brian." I didn't know what I was going to say before I said it, but it came out all the same. He smiles at me, all goofy, and reaches for my hand.

"On our first date? A little early, don't you think?" I smack him playfully on the arm and he laughs. "I'm just kidding." His smile softens and he pulls me closer to him. "I love you too, Jenny."

* * *

_Brian:_

I walk her back to her room and open the door for her, but instead of following her inside, I stand in the entryway. She notices and cocks her head, a question playing out on her smile. I shake my head.

"It's late," I say, pointing at the clock. She doesn't look convinced. "It's also our first date, remember?"

"Oh c'mon, Brian." She scoffs, but she's still smiling. I consider staying, like I've already done a thousand times since our 'first date' started, but I still haven't changed my mind. I walk over and take her in my arms.

"We've got plenty of time, babe." I say, kissing her on the forehead. When I pull back, her cheeks are red. I chuckle.

"I'm getting good at making you blush. You must be out of practice."

She shakes her head. "I can't help it. You tend to have that effect on me."

We stand there a little longer, her head on my chest and my arms wrapped around her waist. With a sigh, I disentangle myself and head for the door. I stop before I close it completely and stick my head back inside.

"Your old spot on the FPS team is open—assuming, that is, that you still want it."

"And school your ass again? You got it, BrianD." She says with a smirk and her hands on her hips.

I wink at her. "Only if you call me captain."

She's still shaking her head when I close the door behind me.


	2. Movie Night

_Jenny:_

The next few days pass by uneventfully. I settle into my classes—taking a positon on the varsity FPS team after wiping out the competition, of course. Brian apologized for having to make me go through all the hoops again, but I told him it was for the best. I didn't want anyone thinking I'd gotten my spot because of my boyfriend, after all. We had a good laugh at that.

We go on our second official 'date' three days after our first. Brian is extremely insistent we pretend this is our first time dating. At first, it was amusing. But now something about it just isn't sitting right with me. We're going extremely slow; I know it's 'technically' only been four days, but really—it hasn't been four days. We've been dating for months. I keep wanting to talk to him about it, but every time I lose my nerve.

I'm not sure why it's bothering me like this. I'm wondering if it has something to do with the girl who broke up with him. Maybe he doesn't want her to see him back with someone again so soon. I don't even know who she is, anyway. If Brian would tell me, I could spare the girl's feelings and not jump his bones when she's around. On that note—why hasn't he told me her name?

I resolve to sort out these issues the next time I get some alone time with Brian.

* * *

_Brian:_

Jenny texts me in the middle of morning class on Friday, informing me that we're having a movie night. I text her okay, then text Ted and let him know I won't be back to our room until late, and he can go questing without me.

I head over to Jenny's after my final class, swinging by my room to grab chips and salsa on the way. When I get there, she's already in her pajamas and has a movie I don't recognize sitting at the title screen.

"Anxious to start, huh?" I ask, giving her a peck of the cheek as I come in.

"Just thought I'd be prepared," she says with a smile, then collapses on her bed. I set the chips and salsa down on the end table and take off my shoes. When I'm done, I glance at her and see she's eyeing me from head to toe. I feel my cheeks go red.

"Don't be shy," she says, patting the bed. Oh boy, I think to myself. I climb over her and lay down behind her so I don't block her view of the TV. I prop myself up with my arm and she lays on her back to look at me.

"Have you ever seen _10 Things I Hate About You_?" She asks. I shake my head.

"What's it about?"

"Oh, it's just a romantic comedy. I hope you don't mind," she winks at me before rolling to her side to watch the movie. I sigh and wrap an arm around her waist.

"I'm just the luckiest guy ever."

It turns out romantic comedies aren't nearly as bad as I'd expected. I don't see why Ted complains so much about Ki forcing him to watch them on their movie nights. The cuddling probably makes it more bearable, I think.

"This is my favorite part," Jenny says excitedly. I watch as Heath Ledger sings "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" to impress a girl and decide I can definitely see why she likes this movie so much.

"He's much more suave than I am," I say when he's done serenading.

"He_ is_ pretty dreamy," Jenny adds with a giggle. I pinch her side and she yelps.

"I'll have you know, I'm pretty dreamy myself," I say, full of fake confidence. She laughs and rolls over to poke me in the chest.

"I can agree with that," she says smiling. She leaves her hand on my chest and I hold it there. We lie there just watching each other for a while, before I cave.

"Okay," I sigh. "Heath Ledger may have a few points on me on the dreamy scale. But I think I hold my own." She giggles again, then reaches up to me. I lean down to meet her and kiss her gently, one hand pulling her face to mine and the other resting on her waist. She deepens the kiss and I respond, my face warm along with the rest of me.

Before I realize what's happening, Jenny rolls me onto my back and is sitting on my waist. I gasp from surprise and the contact and she silences me with another kiss. My mind is a swirl of thoughts, questions rebounding inside my head, but I ignore them and decide to just enjoy it. I feel her hands slide under my shirt, hot heat branding me wherever they land. I'm getting used to it when I feel her hands move and her fingers curl inside my waist band. Alarm bells go off and I sit up abruptly, pulling away from her.

"Whoa," I say breathless. "Moving kind of fast, aren't we?" She's looking at me, her eyes wide and face red. She doesn't respond, but instead scrambles off the bed and across the room before I have time to react. "Jenny," I say, trying to get up but getting my feet tangled in the sheets. I tumble off the bed ungracefully and land on my side. "Shit," I mumble and pick myself up. When I get to my feet, she's curled into a ball on her floor, crying silently. I get on my knees next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, but she jerks away.

"Jenny," I say again, my hand finding its way to her back where I rub circles slowly. She still doesn't respond. "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "You don't want me anymore," she says quietly, her voice strained. Shock keeps me from replying immediately, and she carries on. "I'm someone else's used goods and you don't want me anymore."

I pull her hands away from her knees and hold them in mine. "Jenny." I say gently but clearly. "Look at me." She slowly drags her eyes up to mine, still full of tears. I wipe a few away with the pad of my thumb, then hold her face. "I love you," I say softly. "I loved you when you were here, I loved you when you were gone, and I still love you now, more than ever." More tears fall, and I hold her face in both hands. "There's nothing you or anyone could do that would change that. I promise."

"Then why did you pull away from me?" She asks, her voice quivering. I sigh and drop my hands from her face, embarrassed.

"I'm not ready," I say simply, my voice quiet. "I just got you back, and I don't want to ruin it. I want us to take our time. The world's not on fire." My voice gets a little stronger, and I make sure she's looking me in the eyes. "I want to do right by you."

She watches me for a while, her eyes still full of tears, but a smile appearing on her face. She reaches out to me with both arms and I pull her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Brian," she says. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's okay." I say.

"Good," she says, then pulls away from me. "Want to finish that movie now?"

I laugh. "Only if Heath gets the girl."

"Oh, don't worry. You both have that in common."


	3. Stress Reliever

**A/N: **This one is a bit of filler. I'm still working out where I want to take this. I appreciate all the reviews, favs and follows! :)

* * *

_Jenny:_

Things for Brian and I go much more smoothly the next few weeks. We spend most of our free time together in one form or another—whether alone, or in tandem with Ki and Ted, or practicing with the FPS team. I make a lot of realizations the longer I spend back at VGHS. Firstly, Brian has become varsity captain and has really improved since I left. I ask him about it after one particularly good game, and he just shrugs.

"I had a lot of free time after you left." Of course, I know that's not the complete answer, and after some prodding he gives in. "I may have entertained the notion of joining you in Paris if I could improve. I gave up on that dream pretty fast, but not before I learned a few things."

Secondly, Law is gone—for good. He and his alter ego, the New Law, both got recruited into the pro circuit sometime after I left for Paris. Brian and Ted have taken to calling them 'the Freakshow Twins.' Their brand of crazy is decidedly unique and we all agree they deserve each other.

The biggest change, however, is all the new faces at VGHS. I knew the characters would change, seeing as a class graduated in the time I had left, and another had taken its place. But the outcome of the Napalm Bowl had apparently brought a lot of media attention to VGHS and the number of applications had increased tenfold. Of course, not all of them were accepted, but we had easily attracted even more students than ever before, meaning the FPS team had plenty of material to work with.

As captain of varsity, Brian's first official business was to keep the team in tip top shape for upcoming competitions. Unlike prior captains, however, he didn't encourage the separation of varsity and junior varsity. Instead of having separate practices, we spent a lot of them with the JV team. As a result, the JV team had become pretty talented. I had no doubt that in a pinch any one of them could replace a varsity player if they needed to.

In other news, Ki had become the class president, again. She had run unopposed and everyone had been excited—even the MMO team, which had forgiven her and Ted for the Tamagotchi debacle. Wendell was her running mate, of course, and the hallways stayed silly string free, except for on designated 'Stress Days' where pretty much all the rules went by the wayside, which I discovered the hard way.

* * *

I had awoken at seven in the morning to a loud racket out in the hallway. Convinced there must have been a fire, I hurried up and put on some shoes, grabbed a jacket and stepped outside—to receive a face full of silly string. I took a breath and was about to open my mouth to scream when Brian appeared out of nowhere.

"Brian, what the hell—"

"Jenny! It's a Stress Day! Here, take some silly string." He shoved a can into my hand and wiped the silly string off my face. When all of it was gone, I started my line of questioning again.

"What the hell is a Stress Day?" I asked, taking in all the people sprinting around the hallway like chickens with their heads cut off. They did seem decidedly stress free, however, as most of them were laughing contagiously and spraying neon colored string in the air.

"It's this new thing Ki and Wendell came up with. On certain days of the month, students can buy a can of silly string—all profits go towards the Student Club—and go absolutely ape shit. It's a stress reliever." As a demonstration, he shot a string into the air above us, which stuck to the ceiling. He grinned goofily.

"Obviously," I said, letting out a breath and my anger with it. I set my can of silly string down by my door—I had other stress relievers in mind. I took Brian's hand and we started walking down the hall.

"So, this Stress Day thing," I started, slowly leading him to the FPS classroom, which I knew was empty. "Can we do something besides silly string?" I asked. Brian squinted, obviously in thought.

"Well, probably. Ki has a suggestion box outside—"

"I meant us, Brian." I cut him off, smiling at his confusion. It didn't take long before he realized where we were going and his face went a little red.

"Oh, well we could do that." He picked up his pace a bit, pulling me with him. "Oh yeah, we could definitely do some of that." I giggled as he threw the door open to the classroom and picked me up. He sat me down on the front desk and stood himself between my knees, hands on either side of my thighs. The kiss started slowly and ended as they always did, with tousled hair, raised heart rates and red faces.

He leaned his forehead against mine and sighed. "You are the world's greatest stress reliever," he said with a dopey grin. "Although, I think you're going to give me a heart attack." He grabbed my hand and placed it over his heart. Sure enough, the beat matched mine, a furious number that took its time in residing. I smiled and poked him in the chest.

"I bet it has something to do with all this sexual tension," I said, trying to keep my voice low and sultry. His eyes narrowed and he leaned in closer to me. "You know, there is a way to fix that," I let my voice trail off, dragging a finger down his chest. He leaned in the rest of the way and kissed me again, this time being slow about it. After a while, he rocked back on his feet.

"You'll be the death of me, you know that?" He asked, his voice low and a small smile playing on his lips. I hopped off the desk and stood close to him, then went up on my tiptoes to reach his face.

"That's the idea," I whispered in his ear and felt him shiver. I was about to say something else when he picked me up suddenly and threw me over his shoulder.

"TO THE BATCAVE!" He yelled, charging out of the room and into the hallways. I beat on his back with my fists, my laughter and his shoulder repeatedly knocking the air out of me.

"This avoidance thing won't work forever!" I yelled back at him, watching as people stopped in the halls to turn and look at us. We abruptly skid to a halt and Brian lowered me back to my feet. He took my face in both hands and looked me in the eyes.

"Promise me, I'm not avoiding anything," he said with a confident smile, the dimples in his cheeks showing. Something in his voice sends a tingle down my spine and turns my face red, causing him to chuckle.

"What does that mean?" I ask, my voice quiet and suddenly I feel very small. The beginnings of butterflies blossom in my stomach and I watch his lips as his grin turns into a cocky smirk. I wonder if he has any idea what effect he has on me.

"It means, don't worry." He smiles a lopsided grin.


	4. The Best Laid Plans

**A/N: **I feel like a sap, I really do. Here you go!

* * *

_Brian:_

In my grand seventeen years and some days of existence, I've learned a few things about myself. For one, there are some things I do best on the fly, with no prior planning. Spontaneous humor and badassery are two of those things. In other things, like romance, I'm much better with a game plan and some research. Which is how I found myself with Ted at the late night convenience store buying condoms on a Tuesday night.

"I swear man, these are the ones," Ted says, his voice a few decibels higher than regular conversation. I don't understand his casualness about this adventure we're debarking on, but I know this isn't his first trip to make this particular purchase, as he's so fond of telling me.

"Dude, just…turn it down a few notches, okay?" I say, my eyes roaming between the boxes in front of us and the front door. I know my fear is irrational; no one cares if Brian Doheny is buying condoms. At least, no one around here cares. I made it a point to choose a store twenty miles away from campus to avoid running into anyone from class.

"Ooh, look at these. _For her pleasure_. Brian, you need these." Ted picks up a different box and tosses them in my direction. I look at them briefly, not really sure what I'm looking for. I put them back on the shelf.

"How many possible ways can you make these things?" I ask out loud, not really expecting an answer, but not surprised to hear Ted's reply.

"Well, they've got these different molds they use, and some of them have—"

"Ted, I get it—"

"And then they make different sizes, like magnums. Do you need magnums, Brian? I mean, I knew the ladies liked you but—"

"Just give me the condoms, Ted!" I snatch the ones he's holding, which look plain and the less threatening, and start walking towards the register. I briefly think about grabbing something else, but realize there's no point. No matter what else you buy, condoms just make the entire purchase weird.

The guy at the register isn't much older than us, maybe in his twenties, and for that I'm grateful. If it'd been an old lady, I'd have had to pick a different gas station.

"You know, it's cheaper to buy them in the big box," he says as he scans them. I feel my face burn.

"I'll just try to get through this box first, if that's okay," I grumble, which he finds immensely funny.

* * *

My game plan was as follows: skip my final class of the day on Friday, find a way into Jenny's room before she got back, prep the room for a romantic night in, surprise her and see where things went. I started the morning earlier than normal to give myself extra time for grooming. I'd been developing a lot of stubble over the past year and spent a while painstakingly shaving. I wasn't sure what Jenny would think of a bearded Brian—hell, I wasn't sure what _I _would think of a bearded Brian—so I figured I'd play it safe. I didn't bother to dress the part since I'd have some free time from skipping class.

The day went by slowly, each class dragging on. I saw Jenny in FPS in our second to last class and did my best to play it cool. I didn't want her to know what I was planning because I didn't want to force anything. I'd done plenty of thinking the past few weeks and decided that when I felt like I was ready, I'd prepare and then just let it happen on its own.

When FPS let out, I walked Jenny to her next class and then headed back to my room. My nicest jeans, a striped Henley, a spritz of cologne and I was set. Getting into Jenny's room proved to be easy—she didn't lock the door. I made a mental note to tell her that was a bad habit, then set about getting ready.

* * *

_Jenny:_

By the time class is over, I'm convinced someone had slowed down time to mess with me. I never thought I was going to get out of that class. I didn't find calculus all that difficult, but having to hear someone explain the same problem five times over before everyone got with the program got old real quick. I opened the door to my room and was about to toss my bag onto the floor when I realized something seemed off. It didn't take long to figure out what it was.

Brian's shoes were set by the door, the bed was made, and he was laying on his back with his feet hanging off the edge. As I got closer, I realized he was asleep. Well, this is odd, I thought to myself. I took off my own shoes, changed into something more comfortable, not even worrying about Brian being in the room, seeing as his light snoring convinced me he was out cold.

I crawled onto the bed next to him, which caused him to wake up. He set up with a jolt and looked around.

"Jenny!" He yelped, and the surprise sent him falling off the bed. I watched him suspiciously as he sat back up and peeked over the edge of the bed at me.

"Brian," I started, the obvious question hanging in the air.

* * *

_Brian:_

"Uh." Dammit, Brian, you fell asleep, I told myself. "It's not what it looks like," I said, then cursed myself again. What _did _it look like, Brian? You broke into your girlfriend's room to sleep in her bed. Well, technically I didn't break in, the door was unlocked. Oh yeah, the door. "You should really lock your door." I winced. Jesus, Brian, you are doing so _well _today, you know that?

Jenny's face was blank, watching me from her position on the bed. I sighed and picked myself up off the floor to sit next to her. She watched me, her expression remaining stone cold.

"So I meant to be awake when you came back," I started.

"Obviously," she said, the beginnings of a smile cracking her exterior.

"I was hoping we could have a romantic night in and I was going to surprise you by being here but I got a headache and laid down to take a nap and then…" I trailed off, slightly embarrassed. Jenny laughed and shook her head at me.

"Romantic night in, huh?" She asked, her voice playful. I made a face at her.

"Don't repeat my words back to me, you make me sound silly," I said.

"It's not silly," she said. "It's cute. Endearing, really."

"Neither of those words do much for my confidence," I said flatly. She opened her arms and gestured for me, so I laid back down in the bed with her and pulled her close.

"So, what were our plans for this romantic night?" She asked, her voice doing dangerous things to my heart beat.

"Well," I started. "Have you ever seen _A Knight's Tale_?" I asked. She shook her head.

"What's it about?" She asked. It was my turn to grin.

"Oh, it's just a romantic comedy," I said, parroting her words from the other night. "I hope you don't mind." She giggled and shook her head.

"I like your brand of romance, Brian Doheny," she said with a grin and I kissed her without warning. I got up and went to put the movie in.

"Oh, it's also got Heath Ledger in it," I threw over my shoulder, to which she responded with a squeal.

* * *

I'd told Ki that Jenny liked Heath Ledger, to which she had answered "Who doesn't?" before giving me a list of must see romantic comedies. She had highlighted _A Knight's Tale_ and put a note next to it which read 'Ted actually liked this one, plus it has Heath in it.' I figured it would be perfect, and so far it had proven to be. Jenny seemed to be enjoying it, and Alan Tudyk's character Wat had us in tears pretty early in the movie.

As Heath starts dancing his way into Jocelyn's heart on screen, I find myself rubbing Jenny's side absentmindedly. She responds by leaning back into me with a sigh of content. I push her hair away from her neck and kiss her there gently. She mumbles incoherently, then sighs again.

"You're such a tease," she says, her voice a lilt. I smile into her neck and brush my lips by her ear.

"I'm not teasing," I say softly. I pull away and see her eyes watching me closely. I think I can read her mind, but I'm not sure. I might just be projecting my own feelings onto her, and so I want to be careful I don't screw this up.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" She asks, her eyes sparkling but her smile nervous. I smile back and nod, not really trusting myself to say anything coherent. She pushes me onto my back and a feeling of déjà vu comes over me, but I'm determined that this won't end the same way it did last time. Her hands are light at my waist as they slide under my shirt, and I find myself mimicking her. Her skin is soft and I rub my palms over her sides. She leans down to kiss me but then stops short.

"Are you sure?" She asks, her voice hesitant.

"Absolutely," I respond, surprising her and myself by flipping us over. I hold myself over her, taking in all of her before I lean in for a kiss. "I want you, Jenny." I say, my voice husky. She smiles deviously at me and tugs at the hem of my shirt.

"I really like this sexy side of you, Brian," she says, her voice both carefree and very serious at the same time. I chuckle, sounding much more in control of myself than I really am. I feel fragile, sure that at the first touch I'm going to shatter into a thousand pieces. I let her pull my shirt over my head, and then feel her hands rest themselves on my chest.

"I can get use to this," she says softly, and I feel myself smile involuntarily.

* * *

**A/N: **Keeping it rated T because the imagination is much better than words. That and I really can't defile their innocence. They're just too damn cute.


	5. The Tell All

_Brian:_

As we lay there afterwards, I find myself watching her face. Her eyes are closed and she's glowing; her hair is a mess but it still frames her face perfectly. I'm alternating between trying to catch my breath and figure out if I'm dreaming or not. We lie there in silence, but it's a comfortable silence, and I can feel the heat from her body radiate next to mine. I'm fighting sleep when she breaks it.

"So, how did buying condoms go?" She asks, her voice very serious but I can tell she's grinning.

"Well," I start. "I took Ted. I thought it'd be easier with a co-conspirator, but I think he just made it worse." I remember his antics in detail and almost blush in response. She laughs, and then rolls over to face me.

"You can take me next time. I promise I won't embarrass you." She winks and pulls herself close by grabbing my arm. I smile lazily, imagining the cashier's reaction to that. I'm pretty sure he'd have stayed silent if Jenny had been with me. That sounds much better.

"Sounds like a plan," I say and roll over on my side too. I let my hand drag down her side to her hip, where I place the pad of my thumb on her hipbone. "I could do this all day," I say and she cocks her head at me.

"Lay here naked?" She asks, and I notice she's blushing. I don't blame her, I'm pretty sure I haven't stopped blushing since she took my shirt off. "I have to admit, I'm feeling kind of vulnerable, and I'm not use to that," she says. She tugs the sheet up a little further, covering her hip.

"Yeah, me too." I pull my hand from her hip and tuck some hair behind her ear. "I could explore you all day," I say, surprising myself. She smiles.

"I'd like that." There's a few beats of silence, and she speaks up again. "But I'm pretty sure we need to get up and get dressed. I'm not ready to share myself with anyone else." We both laugh and she climbs out of bed. I have every intention of following her, but I find myself not moving, watching her as she sits at the edge of the mattress, her spine bending as she leans over. Everything about her is gorgeous, I realize for not the first time.

She knocks me out of my reverie by tossing my pants in my face. "Nice boxers," she remarks, and throws them at me next. I cough awkwardly, and join her at the edge of the bed.

"I wore them just for you," I say as I pull them on, followed by my jeans. She laughs.

"You didn't wear them for long," she remarks.

"Next time, I'll model them for you before I let you take them off." I throw a wink in her direction and she shakes her head at me.

"You're full of great ideas, Brian." She's already managed to get fully dressed and I still haven't found my shirt. I realize she's still holding it and I reach for it, but she holds it away from me. I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I'll give you your shirt back on one condition," she says. I don't say anything, and she grins. "I'll give you it back if you'll promise to give me one of your tee shirts."

"As the woman desires," I intone seriously. The thought of her in nothing but one of my shirts is way more distracting than it needs to be.

* * *

_Jenny:_

Brian heads back to his room after a while, bidding my goodnight with a kiss. I watch him walk back down the hall, having a hard time believing that just actually happened. Once he's out of sight, I shut the door and sit down on my bed. I realize the movie is back at the title screen—we never did finish it after the interruption. I turn the TV off and get ready for bed. It's close enough to bed time and I'm feeling pretty exhausted.

I lay down with the intentions of going to sleep but my mind won't turn off. I find myself replaying the events that led up to us…what, making love? God, that sounds so corny, I cringe just thinking it. But there really is no other way to describe it. It was way more than just sex. I think about Brian's hands, how hesitant he was to do anything, but yet how sure he was when he was given permission. And his eyes—he didn't break eye contact the entire time we were together. Thinking about it causes me to shiver.

But then my thoughts turn dark, and I'm suddenly making comparisons that I don't want to be making, reliving memories better left dead. Before I can stop myself, I'm bawling, reopening a wound that hasn't yet healed, remembering a pain I haven't quite put behind me.

I realize I need to talk to someone. Preferably female. Preferably Ki.

* * *

I knock on Ki's door less than three minutes after making my decision. I had briefly considered callng but immediately realized this wasn't a conversation you had over the phone, especially not when the person in question lived down the hall.

She answers quickly—much quicker than you'd think for someone not expecting company. She greets me with a big grin.

"Jenny!" She says excitedly. "I was hoping you'd come by." I'm a little bit confused, wondering why she'd possibly be expecting me. I make a few deductions in my head.

"Did Brian tell Ted already?" I ask, not mad, but surprised it didn't take that long. Ki shakes her head. "Oh. Okay—but wait, how did you—"

"Brian came to me for movie suggestions. I had a feeling." She gestures for me to come inside and I step around her.

"Oh." I say, not sure what else to say. She sits down on her couch and pats the spot next to her.

"Sooo," she starts. "Give me all the juicy details." My expression must be strange, because she immediately recants. "Or don't." I laugh, because I'm pretty sure this isn't how this goes for normal teenage girls. We should be neck deep in gossip already.

"Brian and I…we…" I wave my hands around and sigh. She seems to get it. "But it's just…" I trail off, trying to prepare myself for the emotional shell shock that comes with opening up. Ki doesn't say anything, just cocks her head at me and blinks. I close my eyes, determined to get through this without breaking down. I take a breath. "I didn't tell you the real reason I came back from Paris." It's as good a place to start as any.

"No, you didn't," she says and waits for the inevitable explanation.

"I met a guy in Paris. His name was Damien. He was actually Jacques Latour's son. We dated for about a month before I ended it. He was very clingy, obsessive…he would show up unannounced when I was out with the team and get upset if I wouldn't leave with him. We had to be together, constantly. If we weren't, he'd call almost every hour. If I didn't answer, he'd get angry." I pause, trying to remember without being drowned. Ki was still watching me intently, a compassionate look on her face. I looked away.

"He stalked me, forced me to move and change my number. I don't know how he did it, but he'd find me, no matter where I went. He ran into me at coffee shops, the mall. And then…" I take another breath, feeling like something is sitting on my chest. "He broke into my apartment and waited for me to come home one night. He said he wanted to make it up to me. He forced himself on me. I told him no, I hit him; none of it did any good. I just gave up and let it happen." I feel tears fall, and I wipe them away. I'm going to get over this, I tell myself. I'm stronger than this.

"The next morning, he acted like nothing was wrong. He made me breakfast. I was so sick with fear and disgust, I hid in the bathroom and puked my guts out. When he eventually left, I immediately packed my things and told the coach I was quitting. There was no getting around it. If I'd stayed, I'd have seen him every day. I couldn't risk it. So I came home."

I didn't notice until now, but Ki has her hand on my back, rubbing comforting circles. I try to compose myself in the silence.

"Did you contact the police?" She asks. I shake my head.

"If I did, I would have had to stick around. I wanted out as fast as possible." I sigh and then sit up straighter. Ki pulls her hand back. "I went home and stayed with my dad for a few weeks before I came back here."

"Did you tell him? Your dad?"

"No. I told my mom though. I had to when she asked what happened."

"What did she say?"

"She was pissed. She was going to fly to Paris and talk to the coach, find a way to get me back on the team…I told her to forget about it. Damien wasn't the only reason I wanted out. The professional circuit was way more stressful than I could handle. I got to the point I didn't enjoy playing anymore."

Ki nods and then gets up. She procures two root beers from her mini fridge and hands me one. We sit on her couch for a while, neither of us saying anything.

"I take it you told Brian." She says eventually. I nod.

"I told him it happened, but I didn't give him all the details. I didn't want to hurt him." I study the glass in my hand, rotating it slowly.

"You should tell him, eventually. At least tell him who he was. He can take it, Jenny. He can do anything when it comes to you." She smiles sadly and looks out her window. I watch her, realizing that Ki has changed immensely since I left—and that I haven't asked her a single thing about her life since I got back.

"How are you and Ted?" I ask, figuring it's a good place to start. Her eyes light up and she giggles.

"Let's just say we're very busy with…" She waves her hands in the air, and it takes me a moment to realize she's copying me from earlier. I almost choke on my root beer before I burst into laughter, which sets us both to giggling like schoolgirls.

We carry on for what seems like forever before I eventually leave, although reluctantly. There's just something about Ki that brings light to even the most depressing subject matter, I realize as I walk back to my room. I definitely need to spend more time with her.

* * *

**A/N: **The next chapter may take a while to upload, as I'm very busy with very important matters (_cough _Dragon Age Inquisition _cough)._


	6. The Double Date

**A/N: **Not many more chapters to go.

* * *

_Brian:_

Walking back to my room felt like I was walking in the clouds. I was pretty sure anyone I walked past could read me like a book. It felt obvious. In all honesty, I hadn't wanted to leave Jenny's room. I had briefly entertained the idea of me staying the night, sleeping beside her and waking up next to her. But I knew neither of us wanted to deal with people's gossip. Not that it mattered. I didn't give two shits what they said about us, but I also didn't want them talking about our love life. It's private.

When I got back, Ted was raiding on Deathstalker 3, very animatedly yelling at his virtual teammates. He wasn't at it for much longer; I guess the raid group fell apart once people started leaving. He noticed me and he brightened immediately.

"How did it go?" He asked excitedly, almost clasping his hands in front of him like a school girl. I smiled, not knowing what was exactly appropriate to say, and settled on giving him two thumbs up. He let out a very Ted-like squeal and high fived me. "How's it feel?" He asked.

"I'm still trying to decide if I'm dreaming."

"Want me to pinch you?"

"No thanks." We settled into silence as I slipped under my sheets. He stood there for a moment like he was trying to remember something.

"Oh, Ki wanted to know if you guys would like to go on a double date? There's some new movie she wants to go see tomorrow."

"Sure, that sounds great." I say, trying to keep my eyes open.

"Okay," he says. He still doesn't move, and I can tell there's something else he wants to say, but my eyes are feeling so heavy I can barely keep them open. Finally, he speaks again. "Brian…I just wanted to say, I'm really happy for you, man. You and Jenny. You deserve to be happy."

I sit up a little and look at him, realizing that my best friend is much different than the one I first met at VGHS. I smile. "Thanks, Ted. For everything. I know I haven't been the best friend this last year." He shakes his head and grins.

"It's alright. You can make it up to me in questing." I laugh, and we both settle down to sleep.

* * *

_Jenny:_

Almost as if Ki had read my mind, we went out on a double date the next day. We made plans that morning: first, out to dinner, and then to the movie theater to see the newest _Hunger Games. _The guys didn't seem that excited, but I could tell Ki was really enjoying herself. It made me wish we had hung out more like this before.

For dinner, we decided on Italian, seeing as everyone loved pasta. Brian and I went in his car and met Ki and Ted at the restaurant. Everyone dressed nicer than usual, and I realized that the guys looked extremely good. Ted cleaned up very nicely, but Brian was the one who surprised me. He wore a pair of dark dress jeans with a belt, and had a button up shirt tucked in. It was simple, but he struck a handsome figure, and I told him so. He only blushed in response.

When we get to the restaurant, it's packed. It seems like everyone else had the same idea for a Saturday night. We're preparing ourselves for a forty-five minute wait when I'm surprised again—Ted has reservations. I watch as he escorts Ki arm in arm to their table. I share a look with Brian. This is not the same Ted I remember.

The waitress comes to take our drink order. When its Brian's turn, she touches him on the arm and asks sweetly, "And what can I get for you?" I glance over at Ki, who has her eyebrow raised, but Brian seems oblivious. After she's gone, Brian notices Ki and me staring at him.

"What?" He asks, his face scrunched up.

"Nothing," we say simultaneously, and giggle.

We order calamari for an appetizer, and which Ted takes a bite of before he spits it back out.

"Oh man, I _hate _seafood!" He declares. Ki and I share another look.

"Then why did you agree to order it?" Ki asks.

"I didn't know what it was." He says sheepishly.

"It's squid," she announces, and I notice Brian cough. He's trying to sneakily spit his out without us noticing.

"I take it you didn't know that either," I say in his direction, and freezes, realizing he's been caught.

"Nope," he says, wiping his mouth. Ki and I sigh in unison.

The rest of dinner passes by uneventfully. The waitress doesn't flirt with Brian or Ted, although she makes sure to top off their drinks as often as possible. When the waitress comes to bring us our checks, I notice Ki cheer when she drops it off to Ted. Brian and I look at them questioningly.

"We play a game when we go out to eat," Ted explains, sighing. "If the waitress hands me the check, I pay. If they had it to Ki, she pays." Ki dances in her seat, obviously the victor. Ted rolls his eyes.

"I get the feeling you lose this game a lot, Ted." Brian says.

Once the bill is paid, we all gather back in our vehicles to go to the movies. As we settle into Brian's car, he turns to me and grabs my hand. I squeeze his and we share a kiss.

"So, what was that all about earlier, when you and Ki were giving me that look?" He asks, focusing his eyes on the road.

"Oh, that. The waitress was flirting with you." I say.

"Seriously?" He asks. He sounds like he thinks I'm pulling his chain.

"Yup," I say, looking him up and down. "Not that I blame her; you're looking pretty dashing this afternoon." He blushes again but smiles.

* * *

_Brian:_

All goes well at the movies, and both Ted and I leave much more impressed with _The Hunger Games _than we were when we entered. Ki and Jenny are intricately comparing the details of the movie to the book as we leave, while Ted and I resign ourselves to talking about the gunfights, explosions and monsters.

We split up into our separate cars again and I drive Jenny back to campus. As we walk across parking lot into the building, she grabs my hand and swings it between us, giggling. When we get to her room, I pull her close and kiss the top of her head, breathing in the smell of her shampoo. We stand there for a while, not wanting to part, until she sighs and breaks away from me. As she's opening her door, I hear someone down the hall.

"Jenny!" The voice carries to us, and I turn to see who it is, noticing Jenny tense at the sound. I don't recognize the voice, but I notice it has an accent. They step into the light and I still don't recognize them, although I know everyone on campus at this point. I turn to look at Jenny, who still hasn't moved. Her eyes jerk to mine and they're wide, panicky. All the signs, the French accent, the way Jenny tensed at his voice, the look of absolute fear in her eyes as they met mine—there's only person who could cause her to react like this. My rage threatens to boil over I turn to greet the man who raped the love of my life.


	7. The Intruder

I step between her and the stranger who is standing ten feet away, locking eyes with him. "She doesn't want to talk to you," I say, my voice firm and steady, but inside I'm feeling like a live wire. He cocks his head at me, a smirk playing out on his face.

"And who are you? Why not let the lady talk for herself?" He takes a step closer to us, so I take a step closer to him.

"That won't be necessary," I say a little louder. I see a door crack open at the end of the hall and Ki's head pop out. She immediately steps out into the hall and addresses our unwelcome guest.

"Excuse me, sir, but this is a student only area. Visitors are not allowed on campus without a guide, and never this late at night." She's donned her authority voice, drawing herself up to full height and throwing every ounce of professionalism at him. I'd be impressed if I hadn't taken my eyes off the man in front of me. He turns to Ki, and I take the moment to size him up. He's bigger than I am, but not by a whole lot. Dark short hair, dark eyes. He's dressed in a black sweater with fancy looking shoes and jeans. I swear I can smell cologne from here.

"I was just wanting to talk to Jenny here, we're good friends," he says, his voice thick with the effort of being convincing.

"You cannot be here," she insists, and points back down the hall towards the exits. "If you do not leave immediately, I'll have to call the police." He looks from Ki to me, then back to her. A few moments of silence passes and he raises his hands.

"Fine, okay. I'll leave." He turns and starts walking back down the hall. Without letting my eyes leave him, I motion towards Ki.

"Ki, stay here with Jenny." I hear her affirmation and then start to follow him before I hear a small voice behind me call my name. I turn to Jenny, who hasn't moved since he first appeared, and the frightened look is still in her eyes. She starts to plead with me not to leave, but I take her hands and look her in the eye. "I'm just going to make sure he leaves. I won't be gone long." She waits a while before nodding, and I take off back down the hall to catch up with him.

I'm not far down the hallway when I realize I've lost him. I backtrack and check other corridors, but there's no sign of him. Maybe he's already off campus, I think to myself, and I head in the direction of the exits. I find him by the cafeteria doors, sitting at one of the benches. He stands as I approach.

"What are you, her new boy toy, doing her bidding?" He scowls.

"You need to leave," I say, trying to ignore the bile rising in my throat. He takes a step closer but I don't move. The tension is thick and I know it won't be long until we're throwing punches. I think it's just about to start when I hear a booming voice behind me.

"You heard the kid—get the fuck out." It says, and I turn to see who it is. I'm pretty surprised to find Calhoun standing behind us in sweats and a t-shirt, which says in bold letters "KICK ASS TAKE NAMES." He walks forward to stand beside me and points at Jenny's ex. "VGHS students only, Damien. And you're no student of mine."

If I wasn't surprised before, I am now. How does he know his name? Damien seems just as shocked as I am. He takes a step away from Calhoun and starts to say something before thinking better of it. He turns and walks out the cafeteria doors. Calhoun and I both watch as he continues across campus and out onto the street.

We stand there in silence until I turn to Calhoun. "How did you know his name?" I ask. He grunts.

"I'm going to tell you a secret, boy scout, but you can't tell Jenny." He studies me as if he's trying to see if he can trust me. "Coach Matrix told me to keep an eye out for some French punk, an ex-boyfriend of Jenny's. Ki called the office and said you were escorting such an individual off the premises, and I thought I'd come join you." He grins before his face goes deadly serious. "Not a word to Jenny."

"About what?" I ask, only a little less confused than I was to start with.

"I don't want her to know her mom told me." He says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Something dawns on me and I snap my fingers at him.

"Oh, I get it. You and Coach are—"

"Shut it, kid."

When I get back to Jenny's room, she almost bowls me over jumping to give me a hug. I hug her back tightly and sigh. She pulls away to examine me, I guess looking for evidence of a fight. I laugh and shake my head at her.

"Nothing happened. Calhoun intervened before it got ugly." I assure her, and we sit down on her bed. I thank Ki as she walks out the door, then turn my attention back to Jenny. Her eyes are still wide but she's much calmer. I pull her close.

"Brian," she says quietly. I look her in the eyes. "I never told you who he was. How did you figure it out?" I smile and shrug.

"He had a French accent," I say simply. She looks at me for a few heartbeats before laughing.

"I guess that made it obvious, then." She says, kissing me on the cheek. We sit there in silence until she speaks again. "His name is Damien. He was Jacques Latour's son. Another reason why I couldn't stay in Paris." I nod. It makes sense. "I don't know what to do." She says helplessly.

"Get your mom to file a protective order."

"I never filed charges back in France," she says.

"I know. But look at it this way—he flew from Paris to the States to harass you, came onto private property at night and had to be escorted out by the principal. A judge might see enough cause in that." I say, leaving out the part about how difficult it might be to serve papers to him. She nods and lays her head against my shoulder. I check the clock and see that it's getting late, but I don't want to leave her alone either.

"Stay with me?" She asks, and I smile at her reading my mind.

"Absolutely."


End file.
